The federal government is laying the groundwork to test electric air taxis to quickly respond to natural disasters and other public health emergencies in remote areas, Axios is first to report.
Why it matters: Rural areas increasingly lack access to hospitals and other medical facilities — a health care gap that's especially acute after a natural disaster like a hurricane.
More students than ever are headed to class in an electric school bus this fall as school districts race to take advantage of unprecedented government funding to replace their diesel fleets.
Why it matters: Exhaust from diesel buses is linked to serious health and development conditions for children, especially in low-income communities.
Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign won't say whether she supports requiring automakers to build only electric or hydrogen vehicles by 2035 — a position she took during her 2020 campaign for president.
Why it matters: Since taking over President Biden's campaign in July, Harris has been light on policy details.
The Atlantic Ocean is near record warm, and a favorable La Niña climate cycle is developing in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Yet at what is normally the peak of hurricane season, the ocean basin has stubbornly stayed in a deep slumber.
Why it matters: Diagnosing what is keeping storms from forming, and why computer models keep showing phantom storms, could improve forecasts.